Elastomeric adapter cuff

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to blast cabinets, such as water jet cleaning cabinets, sand-blasting cabinets, and other enclosed workspaces for cleaning or finishing parts. Specifically, blast cabinets are typically fitted with gloves secured to access holes in the cabinet, allowing the user to reach into the cabinet and safely handle parts and blasting equipment. The present invention relates to an elastic glove adapter cuff which attaches to a blasting cabinet in place of the gloves, allowing the user to choose the most suitable glove for the work being done.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/931,593 filed Jan. 25, 2014 and entitled “Adapter cuff for wet/dry blasting, finishing cabinets, and the like,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to blast cabinets, such as water jet cleaning cabinets, sand-blasting cabinets, and other enclosed workspaces for cleaning or finishing parts. Specifically, blast cabinets are typically fitted with gloves secured to access holes in the cabinet, allowing the user to reach into the cabinet and safely handle parts and blasting equipment. The present invention relates to an elastic glove adapter cuff which attaches to a blasting cabinet in place of the gloves, allowing the user to choose the most suitable glove for the work being done.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Blasting cabinets are often used in industrial workshops to clean, prepare and finish items and parts. The typical blasting cabinet setup comprises an enclosure with a doorway or lid for placing items into and retrieving items from the cabinet, a viewing window, and a blasting apparatus enclosed within the cabinet. The blasting apparatus shoots an abrasive or cleaning compound (e.g. sand or cleaning solution) through a nozzle at high speed, removing dirt, filth, rust, or other undesirable materials from the surface of the item being cleaned or prepared. Blasting cabinets can be designed to work either wet or dry and blasting compounds can vary widely in abrasive or cleaning characteristics. The blasting apparatus is enclosed within the cabinet and there are typically two access holes fitted with gloves to allow the user's hands to reach into the cabinet and manipulate the blasting apparatus and the item to be cleaned or prepared.

The gloves fitted to the access holes are designed to accommodate the full range of possible blasting tasks that the cabinet can accommodate, and the full range of users that would use the blasting cabinet. This necessarily requires some compromise. Not every user has the same size hands so the gloves must be one size fits all. Additionally, some blasting tasks require high protection, and others require high dexterity or tactile feedback. Gloves which offer high protection levels tend to have reduced tactile feedback and dexterity characteristics, while gloves which offer high tactile feedback or dexterity characteristics tend to offer only limited protection. Thus, when switching between tasks in the blasting cabinet, the gloves attached to the access holes must strike a balance which often ends up being adequate for most tasks, but ideal for none. Although the gloves can be designed to be replaceable, the time required to remove a glove set and attach a more suitable glove set to the access holes can add up rapidly, especially when multiple users are using the blasting cabinet for a variety of different tasks with different glove size, safety, and dexterity requirements.

Therefore there is a need in the art for a glove adapter which allows each user of a blasting cabinet to choose the ideal glove for a particular task, and switch quickly and efficiently between users wearing different gloves. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a blasting cabinet adapter cuff, which will create a seal around the wrist portion of whatever glove the user decides is appropriate for the task being done.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an adapter cuff for use with blasting cabinets comprises: an attachment portion having an attachment diameter, the attachment portion configured to be attached to a glove receptacle of a blasting cabinet, a flexible body attached to the attachment portion, the flexible body having a wide end and a narrow end, the wide end having the diameter defined by the attachment diameter and the narrow end having the diameter of a human wrist, an access opening formed at the narrow end of the flexible body, and a sealing portion formed around the edge of the access opening, the sealing portion being rounded like an o-ring.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible body has a first thickness at the point where the flexible body is attached to the attachment portion and the flexible body grows gradually thinner toward the access opening until reaching a second thickness before the flexible body reaches the access opening.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a perpendicular cross-section of the sealing portion has a diameter greater than the second thickness of the flexible body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the attachment portion has a thickness greater than or equal to the thickest thickness of the flexible body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the adapter cuff further comprises a transition portion which attaches the flexible body to the attachment portion and, the transition portion is the thickness of the attachment portion adjacent to the attachment portion and the thickness of the flexible body adjacent to the flexible body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible body is bellowed.

The foregoing summary of the present invention with the preferred embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. It should be understood and obvious to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention thus described may be further modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an elastomeric adapter cuff according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross sectional view of an elastomeric adapter cuff according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration an elastomeric adapter cuff sealed around the wrist of a gloved hand inserted through the access hole, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view into the inside of a blasting cabinet with elastomeric cuffs attached and gloved hands inserted through the access holes to use the blasting apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of an elastomeric adapter cuff with a bellowed design according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

The present invention relates to blast cabinets, such as water jet cleaning cabinets, sand-blasting cabinets, and other enclosed workspaces for cleaning or finishing parts. Specifically, blast cabinets are typically fitted with gloves secured to access holes in the cabinet, allowing the user to reach into the cabinet and safely handle parts and blasting equipment. The present invention relates to an elastic glove adapter cuff which attaches to a blasting cabinet in place of the gloves, allowing the user to choose the most suitable glove for the work being done.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an elastomeric adapter cuff is designed to replace the gloves on a blasting cabinet and allows a user to pick a set of gloves ideally suited for the task and wear those gloves throughout the task, both inside and outside of the blasting cabinet. Rather than having a single set of built in gloves, the elastomeric adapter cuff seals around the wrist of whatever gloves the user decides to wear. This allows the user to optimize the glove characteristics without compromising for the sake of other tasks performed in the blasting cabinet or other users using the blasting cabinet. Multiple users can then use the blasting cabinet for a variety of different tasks, while using gloves ideally suited for the task, without the loss of time and efficiency associated with switching between gloves that are attached to the access holes. The term blasting cabinet as used in this specification, refers to water jet cabinets, sand-blasting cabinets, wet blasting cabinets, dry blasting cabinets, and other enclosed spaces used for cleaning, preparing, or otherwise processing parts or items, where the user's hands are inserted through access holes in order to perform the required task within the enclosure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the elastomeric adapter cuff 100 comprises an attachment portion 101, a flexible body 102, and a sealing portion 103. There is no particular shape or size of the attachment portion 101 that is specifically required; the attachment portion 101 need only be shaped and sized to be attachable to the glove receptacle of a third-party blasting cabinet. The attachment portion would typically be of the same shape and size of the attachment portion 101 of the blasting cabinet's gloves that are being replaced. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the attachment portion 101 is cylindrical and smooth with a large diameter relative to the sealing portion of the elastomeric adapter cuff 100. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the appropriate shape and size of the attachment portion 101 for the blasting cabinet to be fitted with an elastomeric adapter cuff 100, and any shape, size, or configuration of the attachment portion 101 adapted to replace the gloves of a blasting cabinet could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the attachment portion 101 has a lip 106 at the base. This lip can aid it providing security and reinforcement where the adapter cuff interfaces with the blasting cabinet. The lip 106 can also help prevent the adapter cuff 100 from slipping off the mounting point on the blasting cabinet by providing a ledge that resists being pulled through an attachment device such as a hose clamp.

The flexible body 102 is formed in roughly the shape of a conical frustum and extends from the attachment portion, tapering down to the sealing portion which has roughly the circumference of a human wrist. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible body 102 of the elastomeric adapter cuff 100 is made of a smooth continuous wall of a flexible elastomeric material, such as latex, rubber, or silicone. The flexible body 102 may also be made of a treated fabric or other flexible, but non-elastomeric material, or combination of materials layered together to achieve both flexibility and toughness.

The sealing portion 103 is a sealing surface similar to an o-ring integrated into the narrow end of the flexible body, forming an access opening 104 for the user's hand. The sealing portion 103 is rounded at the access opening 104 so it can roll on the wrist of the user and maintain a proper seal as the user works. The opening formed by the sealing portion is roughly the circumference of a human wrist. The elastomeric material, such as silicone rubber, stretches around the gloved wrist of the user and conforms to the contour of the user's wrist creating a seal that prevents debris, liquid, and blasting material from escaping the blasting cabinet through the access opening 104.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a transition portion 105 lies between the attachment portion 101 and the flexible body 102. The transition portion 105 sits in close proximity to the attachment portion which is attached rigidly to the blasting cabinet access port during use. Because the blasting cabinet access port does not flex, the stress placed on the elastomeric adapter cuff 100 is particularly high in close proximity to the blasting cabinet. The transition portion 105 is therefore reinforced to prevent tearing or excessive wear at the point where the attachment portion is attached to the blasting cabinet.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the attachment portion 101, flexible body 102, and sealing portion 103 are all integrally formed from a single piece of silicone rubber. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the attachment portion 101, flexible body 102, and sealing portion 103 are formed of three pieces of silicone rubber which are glued welded, or otherwise attached to each other to form the elastomeric adapter cuff 100.

FIG. 2 shows a side cutaway view of the elastomeric adapter cuff 100, revealing the varying thickness of the different regions of the cuff. The attachment portion 101 of the cuff is the thickest region, as it will be subject to the most pressure and strain from being rigidly fixed to the blasting cabinet. The transition portion 105 is the same thickness as the attachment portion 101. Between the transition portion 105 and the sealing portion 103, the sidewall of the flexible body 102 grows thinner until just before reaching the sealing portion. The sealing portion 103 is thicker than the flexible body 102 immediately adjacent to it. The tapering thickness of the flexible body 102 provides improved flexibility and the increased thickness of the sealing portion 103 provides the elastic pressure necessary to produce a proper seal around the user's wrist.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the elastomeric adapter cuff 100 is attached to the blasting cabinet access port, pointing the narrow end into the inside of the blasting chamber 201. A user's hand, wearing a glove 202, is inserted through the access opening 104. The sealing portion 103 contacts the glove 202 and the elastomeric material conforms to the shape of the user's wrist, creating a seal which prevents debris, blasting material, and cleaning solution from leaving the blasting cabinet through the access opening 104. The flexible body 102 of the elastomeric adapter cuff 100 allows the user's hand to move and rotate with relative freedom.

The elastomeric material of the sealing portion conforms to a variety of different weights and materials of gloves, allowing the user to choose a glove that is well suited to the particular task without having to compromise by using the blasting chamber's built-in gloves. For example, when working with small parts that require high dexterity to manipulate, the user can choose a thin latex glove and complete the task in much less time than it would take using a thicker, high protection, built-in glove. The user may even be able to perform fine tasks that would otherwise not be possible, or that might otherwise be cost prohibitive because of the difficulty of using the built in glove when it is unsuitable for finer work. When performing a task, such as sand blasting, that requires a high level of protection and very little dexterity, the user may choose a thick vulcanized rubber, thick latex, or neoprene coated canvas glove which offers high protection against abrasion or other injury during sand blasting. This flexibility of using a variety of different gloves with the elastomeric adapter cuff improves efficiency, and decreases time spent completing tasks.

FIG. 4 shows an overhead view of a blasting cabinet 301 with the lid open to demonstrate the use of a pair of elastomeric adapter cuffs 300. As shown in FIG. 4, two elastomeric adapter cuffs 300 are attached to the access ports of the blasting cabinet 301. The user's hands, wearing user-selected gloves 302, are placed through the access holes of the elastomeric adapter cuffs 300, which seal around the gloves 302 at the user's wrist. The elastomeric adapter cuffs 300 bend flex and fold to allow enough freedom of movement for the user to operate the blasting apparatus 303 to clean or prepare a machine part 304. The item to be cleaned or prepared need not necessarily be a machine part 304, but could be anything that requires the use of a blaster to clean or prepare.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the flexible body 102 may also be bellowed to provide additional flexibility. In FIG. 5, the body is bellowed to allow additional flexibility primarily along the length of the cuff. This would allow for the user to reach deeper into the blasting cabinet, if necessary, without putting undue strain on the sealing portion of the cuff. Bellowing may be done along the length of the cuff between the openings to improve flexibility along the length of the flexible body 102, or bellowing may be done around the circumference in order to provide additional rotational flexibility. Bellowing may also be done diagonally in one or more directions in order to provide additional rotational and extension freedom in the flexible body 102. One or ordinary skill in the art would recognize that any combination of bellowing in one or more directions could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

While the invention has been thus described with reference to the embodiments, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that equivalents may be substituted for the various elements and modifications made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that all technical and scientific terms used in the present invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 

1. An adapter cuff for use with blasting cabinets, said adapter cuff comprising: an attachment portion having an attachment diameter, said attachment portion configured to be attached to a glove receptacle of a blasting cabinet, a flexible body attached to said attachment portion, said flexible body having a wide end and a narrow end, said wide end having the diameter defined by said attachment diameter and said narrow end having the diameter of a human wrist, an access opening formed at the narrow end of said flexible body, and a sealing portion formed around the edge of said access opening, said sealing portion being rounded like an o-ring.
 2. The adapter cuff of claim 1 wherein the flexible body has a first thickness at the point where said flexible body is attached to said attachment portion and the flexible body grows gradually thinner toward the access opening until reaching a second thickness before the flexible body reaches the access opening.
 3. The adapter cuff of claim 2 wherein a perpendicular cross-section of said sealing portion has a diameter greater than the second thickness of the flexible body.
 4. The adapter cuff of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion has a thickness greater than or equal to the thickest thickness of the flexible body.
 5. The adapter cuff of claim 1 further comprising a transition portion which attaches the flexible body to the attachment portion and, said transition portion is the thickness of the attachment portion adjacent to the attachment portion and the thickness of the flexible body adjacent to the flexible body.
 6. The adapter cuff of claim 1 wherein said flexible body is bellowed. 